Pasticcio di verdure e lenticchie

I am not a vegetarian but I eat less meat than I used to. I do not feel like having beef any longer. I find it heavy to digest. I'd rather eat chicken or fish, once a week. Sometime lamb, preferably stewed. That's it. Eggs, cheese and pulses are always welcome on my table. I definitely feel better, for myself and for our planet,  and I am not the only one. 

My clients in my cooking courses keep on asking me for new vegetarian recipes to refresh their repertoire. Pulses are the most wanted.

Here is my last creation.

Riso con spinaci e ceci - Spinach and Chickpea Rice

I am an early person and I enjoy breakfasts. No brunches but light lunches in my life. 

Here I prepare a spinach and chickpea rice with fried eggs. So simple and so good.

Polpette di pollo. Chicken Boulettes

I like meatballs because they give me the chance to combine different ingredients - herbs, spices, bread, egg, vegetables, cheese -, to play with different flavours and the final result is  never too 'meaty'. 

Lenticchie, pomodori e melanzane - Lentil, Tomato and Aubergine Stew

I love lentils: no soaking, quick cooking, very versatile, always delicious and truly healthy. 
I cook lentils at least once a week and I try to explore different combinations, whenever I can. 

Gnocchi di semolino e ricotta su letto di spinaci - Semolina Gnocchi on a Spinach Bed

Making gnocchi gives me the great feeling of creating a dish out of a mixture of plain ingredients. I like to experiment with new combinations and different shapes.

Zuppa di pesce a modo mio – My Fish Soup

On Saturdays, I buy my fish from a stall in the farmers' market, where I enjoy going early in the morning in order to get the best choice. Yesterday the fish looked wonderful so I decided to make a fish soup, a simple and quick one with a mixed of firm-flesh fishes plus few prawns. I picked up a wild sea bream and two mullets the fishmonger cleaned for me and I kept the bones and the heads for the stock. 

Lenticchie e fregola con pomodorini al forno - Lentil and Fregola with cherry tomatoes

Fregola is typical pasta from Sardinia, shaped like giant couscous. Traditionally fregola is cooked in the same way as risotto and served with a vongole and tomato sauce.

Insalata tiepida di farro, cavolo rosso e trevisana - Farro Salad with Red Cabbage and Trevisana

Farro (spelt) is an ancient grain the Romans lived on for centuries. They ate farro as a whole grain or ground it into flour to make bread and pulsum, their popular version of polenta. 

Melanzane Rosse di Rotonda con Pasta - Red Aubergine Pasta Sauce

I discovered the red aubergines from Rotonda - a village in Basilcata - in London. I had never heard of them before. They are so beautiful that I kept them for days in the center of my dining table before deciding to cook them. 

Riso al Forno Colorato - Baked Rice

There are different varieties of rices in Italy, suitable for different dishes. The most famous is the rice for risotto (Carnaroli, Arborio, Vialone Nano). However, in this recipe, I suggest using the long rice, which doesn't contain starch and once cooked, the grains remain separated.

Minestra Farro e Ceci - Farro and Chickpea Soup

Farro and chickpeas are two ingredients already popular in ancient Roman cuisine. Combined with tomato comfit, they turn into a tasty and colorful soup, enjoyable at the end of summer. Serve with plenty of fresh herbs.